17. Though the Church has already suffered grievous things, it shall suffer far more grievous. — For the holy Church, pressed by griefs, is to speak many such things. For she is to be so straitened by such great tribulations that she shall long, with deep sighing, for these times which we now endure with great grief. Let her say, then, let her say through the voice of blessed Job: 'Who will grant me that I may be as in the former months?' For since the appointed number of days is called months, what else does she signify by the name of months but the gatherings of souls? For the days, while they are gathered into months, are withdrawn; because in this time also the holy Church, while she gathers the souls that shine with the light of truth, hides them within her inmost parts.
Sometimes also a month is put for perfection, as the prophet says: 'There shall be month from month' (Isa. 66:23); namely, perfection in rest for those who now have had perfection in labor. Let her therefore remember her former perfection, let her bring back to memory how great the gains were which she used to bring back from her preaching, from the souls gathered, and, straitened by tribulations, let her say: 'Who will grant me that I may be as in the former months?' In which months, indeed, she subjoins, enumerating what she was, saying: